Want Black Friday Without Lines? Tips For Online Shopping

It's that time of year again. The time to wake up early or stay up late to get in lines and beat the rush to get the best prices on tsome of the year's most popular items.

Well, if you're looking for an alternative to typical Black Friday shopping, you've come to the right place.

The New York Times reported that last year, online shoppers spent $816 million on Black Friday, which was 26 percent more than the year before. Online stores raked in more than $2.3 billion over Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday, according to comScore.

Those numbers are expected to go up this year.

If you want to join the growing trend and get the Thanksgiving deals without the hassle of missing out on your turkey or standing in lines, here are a few tips on how to Black Friday prices online from the New York Times.

1. Bargains Start Early: Check online for deals as early as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Amazon.com starts its deals on Monday and offers them until the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

2. Shop On Tuesdays: Studies show that the best prices, year-round, for online goods come on Tuesdays.

3. Never Pay Full Price: Use 40 percent off as a benchmark for online deals. You can expect online discounts to be about 5 percent better than in-store discounts. Comparison sites, like TheFind or ShopStyle can help you find the best discounts.

4. Be A Haggler: In-store haggling is becoming easier as stores try to keep customers from shopping for cheaper options online. If you find a better price online, ask whether the cashier will match it.

5. Wait Till The Last Minute: Online electronics are the cheapest the week before Christmas--especially TVs, laptops and cameras.

6. Never Pay For Shipping: Nine of ten retailers will offer free shipping on certain purchases, and a third offer free shipping on all purchases, according to the National Retail Federation.

For more tips on shopping online this holiday season, check out the full New York Times story.